FanGraphs After Dark Chat – 2/19/13
Paul Swydan used to be the managing editor of The Hardball Times, a writer and editor for FanGraphs and a writer for Boston.com and The Boston Globe. Now, he owns The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, an independent bookstore in Acton, Mass. Follow him on Twitter @Swydan. Follow the store @SilUnicornActon.
Will Everth Cabrera be San Diego’s starting ss when the season begins.
Here is the link for the 6 teams Soriano accepted per the Sun times. I asked the question but got pulled away from the chat.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/02/alfonso-soriano-would-consider-trades.html
Comment From Teddy
How many teams (name them as well please) do you think can make a claim that they are in the top half of the mlb at every single position ( C, 1B, 2B etc), rotation spot (1-5), bullpen, and bench? Thank you and have a good chat!
Easy, the Nationals. You could make a case that every single player is in the top 10, much less the top 15.
1B – LaRoche was 5th best 1B last year.
2B – Espinosa was 6th best last year.
SS – Desmond was 2nd best last year.
3B – Zimmerman was 6th best last year.
Conservatively, each should easily be top 10 at their position this season.
LF – Harper was the 12th best of all OF.
CF – Span was 9th best CF, despite missing 34 games to injury.
RF – Werth missed half of the season, and played the other half still recovering.
Harper and Span are easily top 10 if not top 5 at their positions. Werth is a top 15 RF when healthy (if not top 10).
C – Ramos was the 9th best catcher in 2011 in his rookie season. He missed almost all 2012 (even so, put up 0.6 WAR in 25G), but a platoon of Suzuki and Ramos (with Ramos getting the majority of time) is easily a top 15 combo.
SP1-3 – Strasburg, Gio, Zimmermann – no explanation required.
SP4-5 – Dan Haren and Ross Detwiler. Haren is one year removed from a 6 WAR season, and is a #4. Detwiler is a solid, if unspectacular, first full season. Nevertheless, he’s much better than most #5s. Easily top 15.
Bullpen – Soriano, Storen, Clippard, C. Garcia, Stammen, Mattheus and others are arguably the best in baseball, easily top 5.
Bench – Moore, Lombardozzi, Bernadina, Tracy, and others were very effective at PH last season and can fill every position on the diamond. Top 10.